Originally published November 8 2005
Probiotic drinks test positively in promoting workplace wellness
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Dr. Py Tubelius, from Tetra Pak Occupational Health and Safety in Lund, Sweden, led a study that indicated probiotic drinks containing friendly bacteria could help to reduce the amount of sick days taken by employees.
Yoghurt-type drinks containing "friendly" bacteria can dramatically reduce days off work through colds and stomach upsets, a new study has shown.
Researchers gave a group of Swedish workers a daily "probiotic" drink laced with 100 million bugs believed to have health benefits.
Over an 80-day period the 94 volunteers were 2.5 times less likely to take time off work for minor ailments than a similar group given a "dummy" product.
* Vote: Are probiotic drinks good for your health?
Probiotics are bacteria which studies suggest can improve conditions in the gut and boost immunity.
Workers were offered a drink with a special straw that delivered Lactobacillus reuteri, a bug that has been shown to reduce illness in babies.
A total of 23 out of 87 employees given the false product reported sick with colds and non-serious stomach conditions.
By contrast, only 10 of the 94 workers assigned the genuine drink took time off sick.
The effect was most significant for shift workers, who often get ill due to weakened immune systems.
None of the 26 shift workers in the group given L. reuteri reported sick, compared with nine out of 27 workers in the control group.
A previous study of healthy adults has shown that L. reuteri was able to stimulate the immune system by recruiting white blood cells.
The authors of the new research were led by Dr Py Tubelius, from Tetra Pak Occupational Health and Safety in Lund, Sweden.
He wrote in the journal Environmental Health: "Although the exact mechanism of action cannot be defined from our study, it is likely that such an immune stimulation lies behind the reduced morbidity (illness) in the subjects taking L. reuteri.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml